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(No Model) E. M. GARDNER.

. GALVANIG CELL.

y No. 328,208.

Patented Oct. 13, 1885.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST M. GARDNER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES L. LITTLE, JR., OF SAME PLACE.

GALVANIC CELL.

SPECIFICATION `forming part of Letters Patent No. 328,208, dated October 13, 1885.

Application filed October 18, 1884. Serial No. 145,817. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom it may concern.:

Beit known that I, ERNEsi` M. GARDNER, of Boston, (Brookline,) Norfolk county, Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Galvanic Cells, of which the following is a specication.

The invention relates to a galvanic cell containing electrodes, an exciting fluid, and a depolarizing fluid 5 and it consists more particularly in the cup of porous carbon or other porous conducting material containing one of said electrodes and separating said iiuids, and in the construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a section of the cell on the line a: w of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan view.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

A is the containing-jar, which may be composed of glass, rubber, or other suitable material, and which I prefer to make square in horizontal section.

B is an electrode of carbon, made in the form of a hollow, cylinder and resting upon the bottom of the jar.

C is a cup for containing the exciting fluid and separating the same from the depolarizing fluid which surrounds the carbon electrode B. This cup I make of hard porous carbon. It is not in electrical contact with either electrode. Upon the bottom of the jar A is a circular flange, l),which lits inside the cylindrical carbon electrode B and outside the porous-carbon cup C, and serves to maintain said cup and electrode in position and to keep them apart.

Within the carbon cup C is placed the zinc electrode E, .which I preferably make in the form represented, so that it will stand upright on end.

In the bottom of the carbon cup C, I place a shallow vessel or cup, F, of glass or other suitable non-conducting material. Said cup F contains mercury. The lower end of the zinc electrode E rests upon the bottom of cup F, and hence in the mercury. The circular side or iiange of the cup F prevents Contact of the electrode E with the porous-carbon cup C.

G is a rod of brass or other conducting material having at its lower end a piece of iron,

H, and surrounded, except for a short distance at said lower extremity, with rubber I, or other insulating material.

To the upper end of the rod G is secured a 5 5 binding-post, J, or coupler, to which one of the wires, L, leading from the cell is connected. The other conducting-wire, M, is connected tol a post, K, attached to the carbon electrode B.

The object of the separate rod G H is to 6c make electrical connection with the mercury in the cup F, which mercury is in electrical contact with the zinc electrode E, so that said electrode may easily be removed from the cell, when desired, without disturbing the connec- 6 5 tion of the conducting-wire L.

The iron tip H entering the mercury is not attacked thereby, and is therefore employed in preference to continuing the brass rod into communication with said mercury. The rub- 7c ber covering I extends downward a little below the surface of the mercury and prevents any act-ion or contact between the zinc and the inclosed rod. The mercury also serves to keep the zinc electrode which is inserted in it amalgamated by capillary attraction.

I have found that by using a cup composed wholly of hard porous carbon in place of the ordinary porous jar of earthenware or pottery I can materially reduce the internal re- 8c sistance of the cell .and increase the effective lifetime thereof. The carbon of which the cup is composed being an electrical conductor furnishes a free road for the current between the electrodes, while its pores provide a path for the hydrogen, which is apparently trans- -ferred during the action of the cell from the positive to the negative electrode.

I have here shown and described a two-duid cell containing a zinc electrode and a carbon 9o electrode, and with such electrodes I may use as a depolarizing liquid surrounding the carbon the solution of bichromate of potash and sulphuric acid, known as electroporon 7 iiuid,and as an exciting liquid surrounding the 9 5 zinc, water acidulated with sulphuric acid. I do not, however, limit myself to the above specific fluids, as others are well known and may be substituted; nor to zinc and carbon electrodes, inasmuch as electrodes of other marco terials may be employed.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a galv'anic cell, the combination of an electrode, a cup of porous carbon, a shallow vessel of non-conducting material placed in the bottom of said porous cup, and an electrode with its lower end resting upon the bottom of said vessel and in the mercury and separated from contact with said porous cup by the intervening side or sides of said vessel, substantially as described.

2. In a galvanic cell, the combination of an electrode, a porous cup, a Vessel containing mercury Within said cup, an electrode within said cup and having its lower end immersed in said mercury, and a conductor separate from said conductor communicating at one end with said mercury. and at the other end with one terminal of the cell, substantially as described.

3. In a galvanic cell, the combination of the electrode E, cup F, containing mercury, and conducting-rod G, having an iron tip, H, substantially as described.

4. In a galvanic cell, the combination of the electrode E, porous-carbon cup C, inner vessel, F, of non-conducting` material, containing mercury, and conducting-rod G H, provided with a non-conducting coating, I, and a negative electrode, B, substantially as described.

5. In a galvanic cell, the combination of the hollow cylindrical electrode B, porous-carbon cup C, vessel F of non-conducting material *containing mercury, electrode andv insulated conductor G H I, substantially as described.

ERNEST M. GARDNER.

Y Witnesses:

T. J. KEANE, JOHN J. BowEN. 

